Collection:LPB

Genre: Panel

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 2008-05-28

Duration: 00:57:49

Subjects: Homeless teenagers | Homeless veterans | Mental illness | Filmed panel discussions | Poverty | Homeless | Housing

Contributors:

• Courtney, Beth Host
• Freeman, Craig Host
• Nichols, Randy Interviewee
• Hunter, Tamara Interviewee
• Acaldo, Michael Interviewee
• Jetson, Raymond Interviewee
• Pino, Karen Interviewee
• Griswold, Gayle Speaker
• Phillips, Jacqueline Speaker
• Kelly, Gwendolyn Speaker
• Sims, Shannon Speaker
• Williams, Ruby Speaker
• Williams, Charles Speaker
• Barnett, Pim Speaker
• David, Myrtle Speaker
• Lewis, Williams D. Panelist
• Keller, Valerie Panelist
• Holden, Kip Panelist
• Kegel, Martha Panelist

This episode of the series “Louisiana Public Square” from May 28, 2008, features Craig Freeman leading a discussion between the audience members and panelists on the state of homelessness in Louisiana. A background report on the topic precedes the discussion. It includes interviews with: Randy Nichols, executive director of the Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless; Tamara Hunter, transitional housing resident; Michael Acaldo, CEO of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul; Raymond Jetson, head of the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps; and Karen Pino, housing coordinator at the Capital Area Human Services District. The audience members then discuss their views on the effects of mental illness on homelessness, policy initiatives for better education and workforce development to address homelessness, and the state of the affordable housing market after Hurricane Katrina. A panel of experts then joins the audience to answer their questions. The panelists are: William D. Lewis, author, teacher, and formerly homeless; Valerie Keller, CEO of the Acadiana Outreach Center; Mayor-President Kip Holden of East Baton Rouge Parish; and Martha Kegel, executive director of UNITY of Greater New Orleans. They discuss: inter-agency cooperation between the government, social service agencies, and faith-based initiatives for the homeless; alternative housing initiatives, like the Louisiana Supportive Housing Coalition; the increasing rate of childhood homelessness; and how to effectively communicate information between agencies and homeless people. This program was preserved through a 2022-2023 Public Broadcasting Preservation Fellowship. Hosts: Beth Courtney and Craig Freeman